Convertible attachment for chairs



(N9 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. s. HEDBBRG.

CONVERTIBLE ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIRS.

No. 576,077; Patented Jan. 26, 1897.

(Nb Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A.'S.HEDBE RG.

v CONVERTIBLE ATTAGHMENT FOR'OHAIRS. 1%.. 576,077. Patented Jan. 26, 1897.

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'PET

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER S. I-IEDBERG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONVERTIBLE ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIRS.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,077, dated January 26, 1897.

Application filed April 20, 1896. Serial N0- 588,293. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER S. HED- BERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Convertible Attachment for Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in an attachment for chairs, and while it is more especially designed to be used on rockingchairs, yet it is applicable also to stationary chairs; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide an attachment for chairs which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong and durable, neat and attractive in appearance, and effective in operation; second, such an attachment which maybe used as a foot and leg rest, and which shall be so connected to the chair as to facilitate the rocking movement thereof in a restful manner to the occupant of the chair and to prevent wearing of' the carpet by reason of the friction of the feet thereon, and, third, an attachment which shall be adjustable in its positions and may be readily converted while connected to the chair into a book, music, or reading stand, or a writing-desk or game-board, or a babys chair or cradle.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my attachment connected to a rocking-chair, showing it in position to be used as a footrest. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of a chair, showing the attachment secured thereto and by unbroken lines the position of the parts when used as a book, music, or reading stand and by dotted lines when employed as a writingdesk or gameboard. Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the chair, showing the attachment converted into a baby seat or chair. Fig. f is a rear perspective view of the removable cover used to protect the main board or platform and to form a baby-chair and cradle. Fig. 5 is an inverted perspective view of the removable cover, showing the leaves thereof by unbroken lines in the position they will occupy when the attachment is converted into a seat for babies and by dotted lines when converted into a cradle. Fig. 6 is a rear perspective View of the main board or platform, showing a bOX- receptacle thereon and an adjustable support therefor. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the standards used for ad justably securing the attachment to the chair. Fig. 8 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the chair, showing the manner of securing the adjusting-standards thereto; and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 6, showing the manner of adjustably connecting the parts of the extensible leg or support.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

A represents a chair, which may be either a rocking or stationary chair, of theordiuary or any preferred construction, to the front portion and each side of which is pivotally secured and usually to the rockers a a standard A, having on one of its surfaces near its outer end a number of recesses or notches a to receive a pin 12 on each side of the main board or platform B of the attachment.

On the opposite surface of each of the stand- 'ards A is provided a number of notches or recesses a to receive the supporting-arms b, which are pivotally secured to the lower surface of the box B of the main board or platform B when it is desired to convert the attachment into any of the forms, except that of a foot-rest, as will be presently explained.

The free ends of the arms I) are formed with transverse projections 11 to rest within the recesses a and in order to prevent accidental displacement thereof I secure on the standards A, just above each of said recesses, a forked plate a which fork will receive the arm I) when the projection 19 is in position, as is apparent. The bottom A of the chair is provided near each of its front corners with a pivoted hook a to engage a suitable eye a on each of the adjusting-standards A when the attachment is placed in a vertical position, The main board or platform B may have on cured to the lower end of the piece E, and

the platform or board B by means of a springits upper surface a chess or checkerboard, and is provided at its upper and lower ends with oppositely-extending projections 19 and b the latter for the support of a book or sheet of music when used as a reading or music stand and for the removable cover O when the attachment is used as a foot-rest.

The removable cover 0 is formed at its upper and lower ends with oppositely-extending projections c and c, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and when in position on the main board or platform is retained there by means of a catch 0 on its upper part. The outer surface of the removable cover 0- may be covered with a piece-of carpet or other suitable material.

To each side of the cover 0 is hinged a piece or leaf 0 which may be folded against the lower surface of said cover, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, when said cover is designed to rest on the main board or platform; but when it is desired to convert the attachment into a baby-seat or cradle the said leaves may be open ed to the position shown in Fig. 5, which illustrates by unbroken lines the position of the leaves when the device is used for a baby-seat and by dotted lines vwhen employed as a cradle.

To the rear surface of the main board or platform B is pivotally secured at its upper part a box B, which may be used for the reception of writing material or as a ladys work-box, and is fastened at its lower end to catch d or otherwise. Near each side of the box is secured a hook d to be used for holding the arms 12 in position when not in use.

To the projecting portion 19 of the main board or platform is hinged or pivotally secured an extensible leg, which is composed of a piece E, provided with a dovetail projection 6 and the piece E, having therein a dovetail mortise c to receive the projection eon the piece E and a slot 6 for the reception and operation of the set-screw 6 which is sepasses through the slot 6 and clamps the pieces E and E together when extended or shortened To each side of the platform B is secured one end of a strap g, the other ends of which are secured to suitable pins or fasteningsv g, which are located on the chair and usually on the front parts thereof. \Vhen the straps are thus secured to support the platform as a foot-rest, it is obvious that the operation of rocking will be much facilitated and the feet will be entirely raised from the carpet of the floor, thus preventing the same being worn thereby.

The platform may be adjusted to any suitable distance from the seat of the chair by placing the pins 1) within the recesses or mortises a of the standards A, which notches or recesses also furnish a means for adjusting the height of the attachment when it is used as a reading-stand or writing-desk, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Then the attachment is employed to form a baby-seat or cradle, the board or platform B may be placed in a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and the box B supported in a horizontal position by means of the arms I), resting in the recesses a on the supporting-standards. The removable cover may then be inverted, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and placed on the box B, so that its projecting portion 0 will rest against the vertical board B, which forms a back for the childs seat. The leaves or hinged pieces 0 are retained in an upright position by means of'the straps g, which are fastened to said leaves on pins and may have their ends secured together under the projecting portion 0 of the removable cover.

WVhen it is desired to form a cradle of the attachment, the removable cover is reversed, so that the projecting portion 0 thereof will extend upward 011 the side of the box adjacent to the chair, which box and main board are supported on the standards A in the same manner as when the attachment is used for a baby-chair. The leaves 0 are placed in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, and are so held by means of the straps g, which are secured to the pin 9 on said leaves, thus forming a trough-like receptacle for the child, in which it may be rocked to and fro by the person sitting in the rocking-chair.

\Vhile I have shown the box B provided with the arms I) for supporting the same on the standards, yet it is apparent that I may secure the said arms on the lower surface of platform B, for as said platform and the box, being united as above set forth, compose a main frame or platform it makes little difference as to which part the arms I) may be secured. Then it is desired to detach the attachment, the standards A may be folded back under the chair, as shown by dotted linesin Fig. 1 of the drawings, in which position-they will offer no obstruction.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a rocking-chair, of an adjusting-support pivotally secured thereto, a main board or platform on said support, an extensible leg pivoted to the platform at its outer portion and resting on the floor, and a connection uniting the lower part of the platform and the chair, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a chair, of an adjusting-support pivotally secured thereto, a

- main board or platform on said support, a box hinged at its upper end to the lower surface of the platform and fastened thereto at its other end, a pair of arms pivoted on the box and adapted to rest onthe adjusting-support and to hold the frame at any desired angle, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a chair, of a pair of adjusting standards pivotally secured thereto and having recesses in their opposite surfaces, a main board or platform having pins on its sides to rest in the recesses on one of the surfaces of the standards, and carrying pivoted arms adapted to rest in the recesses on the opposite surfaces of the standard, substantially as described.

4; The combination with a rocking-chair, of a pair of adjusting-standards pivotally secured thereto and having recesses in their opposite surfaces, a main board or platform having pins on its sides to rest in the recesses on one of the surfaces of the standards, and carrying pivoted arms adapted to rest in the recesses on the opposite surfaces, a connection uniting the lower part of the platform and the chair, an extensible leg pivoted on the platform to support it as a foot-rest, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a chair, of an adjusting-support pivotally secured thereto, a main board or platform on said support, a box hinged at one of its ends to the platform, means to secure the said box in a horizontal position on the adjusting-support, a removable cover having on its sides hinged leaves, and at its other ends oppositely-extending projections adapted to lie on the top of the box, when in a horizontal position, and to form a baby-seat or cradle, and a pair of straps secured at one of their ends to the platform, and adapted to engage the leaves of the removable cover, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a chair, of an adj usting-support pivotally secured thereto, the board or platform 13 on the support, the box 13, hinged at one of its ends to the platform, and adapted to be placed and secured at right angles thereto, the removable, cover 0, having the hinged leaves 0 at its sides, and the projecting portion a, said cover adapted to lie on the box, when in a horizontal position, and to form a baby-seat or cradle, substantially as described.

ALEXANDER s. HEDBERG.

Witnesses:

R. J. JAcKER, CHAS. O. TILLMAN. 

